The Neuroscience of Ultrarunning Part 2-A Coach Roundtable | KoopCast Episode #183
Episode overview:
Coaches Jason Koop, AJW and Neal Palles discuss the takeaways from last week’s podcast with Dr. Scott Frey.
Episode highlights:
(6:36) Adjusting training for life stress: methodologies, acceptance and awareness, using RPE, experiential training and pain, “taper” your cognitive load
(23:46) Koop’s takeaway: your relationship with workout-related pain is malleable, athletes see short-term improvement from intensity workouts that physiology cannot explain, examples, individual variation
(42:53) DNF spiral: the DNF prediction machine, team sports example, hard interventions to break the cycle, examples
Our conversation:
(0:00) Introduction: AJW and Neal discuss psychology for ultrarunning, mental skills as an exciting emerging field, applications to training
(1:35) Neal’s reactions as a mental performance coach: cognitive load, pain is more recognizable when stressed, examples, dealing with stress
(4:34) Life factors and training: athlete feedback, stress makes workouts hard, changing pain thresholds
(6:36) Adjusting training for life stress: methodologies, acceptance and awareness, using RPE, experiential training and pain, “taper” your cognitive load
(10:19) Maximizing workout load: physical workload is rarely maximized, examples, if physical workload is at 75% you have a buffer for life and mental stress, avoiding injury by destressing, example
(13:03) Nutrition timers: reducing cognitive load by automating mental tasks, nutrition timers are just one example, this adds up and can impact performance, pairing activities, examples, banter, recap
(16:24) Athlete-crew interactions: minimizing cognitive load, Rob Krar example, Katie Schide example, presenting simple solutions, hyper crew can drain athletes, meet the athlete where they are at
(19:58) Experience crews: pit crew example, good crews talk less
(21:40) Briefing your crew: have coaches communicate crew expectations, take the load off the runner, crewing is largely unglamorous, Western States example
(23:46) Koop’s takeaway: your relationship with workout-related pain is malleable, athletes see short-term improvement from intensity workouts that physiology cannot explain, examples, individual variation
(28:24) You should get worse before you get better: malleability explains why athletes get better when they should be fatigued
(29:42) Vermont 100 athlete story: getting worse during hard training periods is expected, awareness and communication is key
(32:14) AJW’s Takeaway: the brain as a prediction machine, sensory feedback, past experiences, and prediction, puking example, Memorial Day Training Camp example
(35:22) The negative spiral: course-correcting repeated negative experiences, GI distress example, succeeding during camps is essential
(37:50) Training camps as positive reinforcements: Angeles Crest example, the goal of the training camp is to feel confident for the race, specific tips, model the race as closely as possible
(40:04) UTMB example: running at night, shifting workouts to start in the evening, Hardrock 100 example, American men failing at UTMB, banter
(42:53) DNF spiral: the DNF prediction machine, team sports example, hard interventions to break the cycle, examples
(45:36) Breaking the downward spiral: celebrating small wins, build momentum, improvement still takes time, set up the initial win, athletes must be willing to swallow their pride
(48:32) Examples of small wins: overcoming DNF’ing UTMB, GI distress
(50:00) Wrap-up: giving thanks, bringing back Dr. Frey
(50:58) Outro: takeaways, leverage mental skills in training, share the KoopCast
Additional resources:
Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible
Information on coaching-
Koop’s Social Media
Twitter/Instagram- @jasonkoop